PAPA JOHNS INTERNATIONAL,INC. 2011 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

				Page
1.	PURPOSE			1
2.	DEFINITIONS			1
3.	ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN			4
	3.1.	Committee		4
	3.2.	Board		5
	3.3.	Terms of Awards		5
	3.4.	No Repricing		6
	3.5.	Deferral Arrangement		6
	3.6.	No Liability		6
	3.7.	Stock Issuance; Book-Entry		6
4.	STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN			7
	4.1.	Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards		7
	4.2.	Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock		7
	4.3.	Share Usage		7
5.	EFFECTIVE DATE, DURATION AND AMENDMENTS			8
	5.1.	Effective Date		8
	5.2.	Term		8
	5.3.	Amendment and Termination		8
6.	AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS			8
	6.1.	Service Providers and Other Persons		8
	6.2.	Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards		8
	6.3.	Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem and Substitute Awards		9
7.	AWARD AGREEMENT			9
8.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS			9
	8.1.	Option Price		9
	8.2.	Vesting		9
	8.3.	Term		9
	8.4.	Termination of Service		10
	8.5.	Limitations on Exercise of Option		10
	8.6.	Method of Exercise		10
	8.7.	Rights of Holders of Options		10
	8.8.	Delivery of Stock		10
	8.9.	Transferability of Options		10
	8.10.	Family Transfers		10
	8.11.	Limitations on Incentive Stock Options		11
	8.12.	Notice of Disqualifying Disposition		11
9.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS			11
	9.1.	Right to Payment and Grant Price		11
	9.2.	Other Terms		11
	9.3.	Term		11
	9.4.	Transferability of SARS		11
	9.5.	Family Transfers		12
10.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK AND STOCK UNITS			12
	10.1.	Grant of Restricted Stock or Stock Units		12
	10.2.	Restrictions		12
	10.3.	Restricted Stock Certificates; Book-Entry Registration		12
	10.4.	Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock		12
	10.5.	Rights of Holders of Stock Units		13
		10.5.1.	Voting and Dividend Rights	13
		10.5.2.	Creditor’s Rights	13
	10.6.	Termination of Service		13
	10.7.	Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Stock Units		13
	10.8.	Delivery of Shares of Stock		13

 

 

 

Papa John’s International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), sets forth herein the terms of its 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), as follows:

 

1.

PURPOSE

 

The Plan is intended to (a) provide eligible persons with an incentive to contribute to the success of the Company and to operate and manage the Company’s business in a manner that will provide for the Company’s long-term growth and profitability, and (b) provide a means of obtaining, rewarding and retaining key personnel. To this end, the Plan provides for the grant of awards of stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, stock units (including deferred stock units), unrestricted stock, dividend equivalent rights, other equity-based awards and cash bonus awards. Any of these awards may, but need not, be made as performance incentives to reward the holders of such awards for the achievement of annual or long-term performance goals in accordance with the terms of the Plan. Stock options granted under the Plan may be non-qualified stock options or incentive stock options, as provided herein.

 

2.	DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of interpreting the Plan and related documents (including Award Agreements), the following definitions shall apply:

 

2.1  “Affiliate” means any company or other trade or business that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Rule 405 of Regulation C under the Securities Act, including any Subsidiary. For purposes of grants of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, an entity may not be considered an Affiliate unless the Company holds a “controlling interest” in such entity within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i), provided that (a) except as specified in clause (b) below, an interest of “at least 50 percent” shall be used instead of an interest of “at least 80 percent” in each case where “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i) and (b) where the grant of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights is based upon a legitimate business criterion, an interest of “at least 20 percent” shall be used instead of an interest of “at least 80 percent” in each case where “at least 80 percent” appears in Treasury Regulation Section 1.414(c)-2(b)(2)(i).

 

2.2  “Annual Incentive Award” means an Award, denominated in cash, made subject to the attainment of performance goals (as provided in Section 14) over a Performance Period of up to one (1) year, which shall be the Company’s fiscal year, unless otherwise specified by the Committee.

 

2.3  “Applicable Laws” means the legal requirements relating to the Plan and the Awards under (a) applicable provisions of the corporate, securities, tax and other laws, rules, regulations and government orders of any jurisdiction applicable to Awards granted to residents therein and (b) the rules of any stock exchange on which the Stock is listed.

 

2.4  “Award” means a grant under the Plan of an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Stock Unit, Unrestricted Stock, a Dividend Equivalent Right, a Performance Award, an Other Equity-Based Award, an Annual Incentive Award or cash.

 

2.5  “Award Agreement” means the agreement between the Company and a Grantee that evidences and sets out the terms and conditions of an Award.

 

2.6  “Benefit Arrangement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15.

 

2.7  “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

2.8  “Cause” means, as determined by the Board and unless otherwise provided in an applicable agreement between the Grantee and the Company or an Affiliate, (i) gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with the performance of duties; (ii) conviction of a criminal offense (other than minor traffic offenses); or (iii) material breach of any term of any employment, consulting or other services, confidentiality, intellectual property or non-competition agreements, if any, between the Service Provider and the Company or an Affiliate.

 

2.9  “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended, and any successor thereto.

 

2.10  “Committee” means a committee of, and designated from time to time by resolution of, the Board, which shall be constituted as provided in Section 3.1 (or, if no Committee has been so designated, the entire Board itself).

 

2.11  “Company” means Papa John’s International, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

2.12  “Corporate Transaction” means (i) the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or a merger, consolidation, or reorganization of the Company with one or more other entities in which the Company is not the surviving entity, (ii) a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company to another person or entity, or (iii) any transaction (including without limitation a merger or reorganization in which the Company is the surviving entity) which results in any person or entity owning 50% or more of the combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company.

 

2.13  “Covered Employee” means a Grantee who is a “covered employee” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m)(3).

 

2.14  “Disability” means, with respect to rules regarding expiration of an Incentive Stock Option following termination of the Grantee’s Service, the Grantee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months.

 

2.15  “Dividend Equivalent Right” means a right, granted to a Grantee pursuant to Section 13, to receive cash, Stock, other Awards or other property equal in value to dividends or other periodic payments paid or made with respect to a specified number of shares of Stock.

 

2.16  “Effective Date” means April 28, 2011, the date on which the Plan was approved by the shareholders.

 

2.17  “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended.

 

2.18  “Fair Market Value” means the fair market value of a share of Stock for purposes of the Plan, which shall be determined as follows:

 

(a)

If on the Grant Date or other determination date the shares of Stock are listed on an established national or regional stock exchange (a “Stock Exchange”), or are publicly traded on an established securities market (a “Securities Market”), the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the closing price of the Stock as reported on such Stock Exchange or Securities Market (provided that if there is more than one such Stock Exchange or Securities Market, the Committee shall designate the appropriate Stock Exchange or Securities Market for purposes of the Fair Market Value determination) on the Grant Date or other determination date. If there is no such reported closing price on such date, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be, as determined by the Committee, the mean between (i) the highest bid price and the lowest asked price of the Stock as reported on such Stock Exchange or such Securities Market on such date or (ii) the high and low sale prices of the Stock as reported on such Stock Exchange or such Securities Market on such date, or if no sale of Stock shall have been so reported for such date, on the next preceding day on which any sale of Stock shall have been reported on such Stock Exchange or Securities Market.

 

(b)

If on such Grant Date or other determination date the shares of Stock are not listed on a Stock Exchange or publicly traded on a Securities Market, the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock shall be the value of the Stock as determined by the Committee by the reasonable application of a reasonable valuation method, in a manner consistent with Code Section 409A.

 

Notwithstanding this Section 2.18 or Section 18.3, for purposes of determining taxable income and the amount of the related tax withholding obligation pursuant to Section 18.3, for any shares of Stock subject to an Award that are sold by or on behalf of a Grantee on the same date on which such shares may first be sold pursuant to the terms of the related Award Agreement, the Fair Market Value of such shares shall be the sale price of such shares on such date (or if sales of such shares are effectuated at more than one sale price, the weighted average sale price of such shares on such date).

 

2.19  “Family Member” means, with respect to any Grantee as of any date of determination, (a) a person who is a spouse, former spouse, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, niece, nephew, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including adoptive relationships, of such Grantee, (b) any person sharing such Grantee’s household (other than a tenant or employee), (c) a trust in which any one or more of the persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the beneficial interest, (d) a foundation in which any one or more of the persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) control the management of assets, and (e) any other entity in which one or more of the persons specified in clauses (a) and (b) above (and such Grantee) own more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests.

 

2.20  “Grant Date” means, as determined by the Committee, the latest to occur of (a) the date as of which the Company completes the corporate action constituting the Award, or (b) such date subsequent to the date specified in clause (a) as may be specified by the Committee.

 

2.21  “Grantee” means a person who receives or holds an Award under the Plan.

 

2.22  “Incentive Stock Option” means an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Code Section 422, or the corresponding provision of any subsequently enacted tax statute, as amended from time to time.

 

2.23  “Non-qualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not an Incentive Stock Option.

 

2.24  “Option” means an option to purchase one or more shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan.

 

2.25  “Option Price” means the exercise price for each share of Stock subject to an Option.

 

2.26  “Other Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15.

 

2.27  “Outside Director” means a member of the Board who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any Subsidiary.

 

2.28  “Other Equity-Based Award” means an Award representing a right or other interest that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on, or related to, Stock, other than an Option, a Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, a Stock Unit, Unrestricted Stock, a Dividend Equivalent Right, a Performance Award or an Annual Incentive Award.

 

2.29  “Performance Award” means an Award made subject to the attainment of performance goals (as provided in Section 14) over a Performance Period of up to ten (10) years.

 

2.30  “Performance-Based Compensation” means compensation under an Award that is intended to satisfy the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for certain qualified performance-based compensation paid” to Covered Employees. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in the Plan shall be construed to mean that an Award which does not satisfy the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of and pursuant to Code Section 162(m) does not constitute performance-based compensation for other purposes, including the purposes of Code Section 409A.

 

2.31  “Performance Measures” means measures as specified in Section 14 on which the performance goals under Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards are based and which are approved by the Company’s shareholders pursuant to the Plan in order to qualify such Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards as Performance-Based Compensation.

 

2.32  “Performance Period” means the period of time during which the performance goals under Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards must be met in order to determine the degree of payout and/or vesting with respect to any such Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards.

 

2.33  “Plan” means this Papa John’s International, Inc. 2011 Omnibus Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

 

2.34  “Prior Plan” means the Papa John’s International, Inc. 2008 Omnibus Incentive Plan.

 

2.35  “Purchase Price” means the purchase price, if any, for each share of Stock subject to an Award of Restricted Stock, Stock Units or Unrestricted Stock.

 

2.36  “Reporting Person” means a person who is required to file reports under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, or any successor provision.

 

2.37  “Restricted Stock” means shares of Stock awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Section 10.

 

2.38  “SAR Exercise Price” means the per share exercise price of a SAR granted to a Grantee pursuant to Section 9.

 

2.39  “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as now in effect or as hereafter amended.

 

2.40  “Service” means service of a Grantee as a Service Provider to the Company or any Affiliate. Unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee’s change in position or duties with the Company or any Affiliate shall not result in interrupted or terminated Service, so long as the Grantee continues to be a Service Provider to the Company or any Affiliate. Any determination by the Committee whether a termination of Service shall have occurred for purposes of the Plan shall be final, binding and conclusive.

 

2.41  “Service Provider” means, as of any date of determination, an employee, officer, or director of the Company or an Affiliate, or a consultant (who is a natural person) or adviser (who is a natural person) of the Company or any Affiliate who provides services to the Company or any Affiliate.

 

2.42  “Stock” means the common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company, or any security for which the shares of Stock may be exchanged or into which the shares of Stock may be converted.

 

2.43  “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means a right granted to a Grantee pursuant to Section 9.

 

2.44  “Stock Unit” means a bookkeeping entry representing the equivalent of one share of Stock awarded to a Grantee pursuant to Section 10.

 

2.45  “Subsidiary” means any corporation (other than the Company) or non-corporate entity with respect to which the Company and Subsidiaries collectively own, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock, membership interests or other ownership interests of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the directors, managers or other voting members of the governing body of such corporation or non-corporate entity. In addition, any other entity may be designated by the Committee as a Subsidiary, provided that (a) such entity could be considered as a subsidiary according to generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and (b) in the case of an Award of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, such Award would be considered to be granted in respect of “service recipient stock” under Code Section 409A.

 

2.46  “Substitute Award” means an Award granted upon assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted under a compensatory plan by a business entity acquired or to be acquired by the Company or an Affiliate or with which the Company or an Affiliate has combined or will combine.

 

2.47  “Ten Percent Shareholder” means a natural person who owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of outstanding voting securities of the Company, the Company’s parent (if any) or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries. In determining stock ownership, the attribution rules of Code Section 424(d) shall be applied.

 

2.48  “Unrestricted Stock” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.

 

Unless the context otherwise requires, all references in the Plan to “including” shall mean “including without limitation.”

 

References in the Plan to any Code Section shall be deemed to include, as applicable, regulations promulgated under such Code Section.

 

3.	ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN

 

3.1.	Committee.

 

The Committee shall administer the Plan and shall have such powers and authorities related to the administration of the Plan as are consistent with the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Committee shall have full power and authority to take all actions and to make all determinations required or provided for under the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement, and shall have full power and authority to take all such other actions and make all such other determinations not inconsistent with the specific terms and provisions of the Plan which the Committee deems to be necessary or appropriate to the administration of the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement. All such actions and determinations shall be made by (a) the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the Committee present at a meeting, or (b) the unanimous consent of the members of the Committee executed in writing in accordance with the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws. Unless otherwise expressly determined by the Board, the interpretation and construction by the Committee of any provision of the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement shall be final, binding and conclusive whether or not expressly provided for in any provision of the Plan, such Award or such Award Agreement.

 

In the event that the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement provides for any action to be taken by or any determination to be made by the Board, such action may be taken or such determination may be made by the Committee or another committee constituted in accordance with Section 3.1 if the Board has delegated the power and authority to do so to the Committee or such other committee pursuant to this Section 3.1. Unless otherwise expressly determined by the Board, any such action or determination by the Committee or other committee shall be final, binding and conclusive whether or not expressly provided for in any provision of the Plan, such Award or such Award Agreement.

 

Except as provided in Section 3.2 and except as the Board may otherwise determine, the Committee shall consist of two or more Outside Directors of the Company who: (a) qualify as “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code and who (b) meet such other requirements as may be established from time to time by the Securities and Exchange Commission for plans intended to qualify for exemption under Rule 16b-3 (or its successor) under the Exchange Act and who (c) comply with the independence requirements of the stock exchange on which the Common Stock is listed.

 

The Board may also appoint one or more committees of the Board, each composed of one or more directors of the Company who need not be Outside Directors, who may administer the Plan with respect to employees or other Service Providers who are not “executive officers” as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act or directors of the Company, may grant Awards under the Plan to such employees or other Service Providers, and may determine all terms of such Awards, subject to the requirements of Code Section 162(m), Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and, for so long as the Stock is listed thereon, the rules of the NASDAQ Stock Market. Any reference to “Committee” in the Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement shall be deemed, as applicable, to refer to any committee appointed by the Board pursuant to this Section 3.1.

 

3.2.

Board.

 

The Board from time to time may exercise all of the powers and authorities related to the administration and implementation of the Plan, as set forth in Section 3.1 and other applicable provisions, as the Board shall determine, consistent with the Company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws and Applicable Laws.

 

3.3.	Terms of Awards.

 

Subject to the other terms and conditions of the Plan, the Committee shall have full and final authority to:

 

(a)

designate Grantees;

 

(b)

determine the type or types of Awards to be made to a Grantee;

 

(c)

determine the number of shares of Stock to be subject to an Award;

 

(d)

establish the terms and conditions of each Award (including the Option Price of any Option), the nature and duration of any restriction or condition (or provision for lapse thereof) relating to the vesting, exercise, transfer, or forfeiture of an Award or the shares of Stock subject thereto, the treatment of an Award in the event of a Corporate Transaction (subject to applicable agreements), and any terms or conditions that may be necessary to qualify Options as Incentive Stock Options);

 

(e)

prescribe the form of each Award Agreement evidencing an Award; and

 

(f)

amend, modify, reprice (except as such practice is prohibited by Section 3.4 herein), or supplement the terms of any outstanding Award, which authority shall include the authority, in order to effectuate the purposes of the Plan but without amending the Plan, to make Awards or to modify outstanding Awards made to eligible natural persons who are foreign nationals or are natural persons who are employed outside the United States to reflect differences in local law, tax policy, or custom, provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment, modification or supplement of the terms of any outstanding Award shall, without the consent of the Grantee thereof, impair the Grantee’s rights under such Award.

 

The Committee shall have the right, in its discretion, to make Awards in substitution or exchange for any award granted under another compensatory plan of the Company, any Affiliate, or any business entity acquired or to be acquired by the Company or an Affiliate or with which the Company or an Affiliate has combined or will combine, except as such practice is prohibited by Section 3.4 herein. The Committee may reserve the right in an Award Agreement to cause a forfeiture of the gain realized by a Grantee with respect to an Award thereunder on account of actions taken by such Grantee in violation or breach of or in conflict with any employment agreement, non-competition agreement, agreement prohibiting solicitation of employees or clients of the Company or any Affiliate, confidentiality obligation with respect to the Company or any Affiliate, or other agreement, as and to the extent specified in such Award Agreement. The Committee may annul an outstanding Award if the Grantee thereof is an employee of the Company or an Affiliate and is terminated for Cause as defined in the Plan or the applicable Award Agreement or for “cause” in any other agreement between the Company or such Affiliate and such Grantee, as applicable.

 

Any Award granted pursuant to the Plan, to the extent provided in any Award Agreement relating thereto, shall be subject to mandatory repayment by the Grantee of such Award to the Company to the extent that such Grantee is or in the future becomes subject to any Company “clawback” or recoupment policy that requires the repayment by such Grantee to the Company of compensation paid to such Grantee by the Company or an Affiliate in the event that such Grantee fails to comply with, or violates, the terms or requirements of such policy. Such policy may authorize the Company to recover from a Grantee incentive-based compensation (including Options awarded as compensation) awarded to or received by such Grantee during a period of up to three (3) years, as determined by the Committee, preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance by the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws.

 

If the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance by the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws, and any Award Agreement so provides, any Grantee of an Award under such Award Agreement who knowingly engaged in such misconduct, was grossly negligent in engaging in such misconduct, knowingly failed to prevent such misconduct or was grossly negligent in failing to prevent such misconduct, shall reimburse the Company the amount of any payment in settlement of such Award earned or accrued during the period of twelve (12) months following the first public issuance or filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (whichever first occurred) of the financial document that contained information affected by such material noncompliance.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or any provision of any Award Agreement, if the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement, then Grantees shall forfeit any cash or Stock received in connection with an Award (or an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of such Stock on the date of delivery thereof to the Grantee if the Grantee no longer holds the shares of Stock) if pursuant to the terms of the Award Agreement for such Award, the amount of the Award earned or the vesting in the Award was expressly based on the achievement of pre-established performance goals set forth in the Award Agreement (including earnings, gains, or other performance goals) that are later determined, as a result of the accounting restatement, not to have been achieved.

 

3.4.	No Repricing.

 

Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, except in connection with a Corporate Transaction involving the Company (including, without limitation, any stock dividend, stock split, extraordinary cash dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, or exchange of shares), the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or SARs or cancel outstanding Options or SARS in exchange for cash, other Awards or Options or SARs with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options or SARs without shareholder approval; provided, that this Section 3.4 shall not be deemed to limit the making of appropriate adjustments to outstanding Options and SARs as contemplated by Section 17.

 

3.5.	Deferral Arrangement.

 

The Committee may permit or require the deferral of any payment pursuant to any Award into a deferred compensation arrangement, subject to such rules and procedures as it may establish, which may include provisions for the payment or crediting of interest or Dividend Equivalents and, in connection therewith, provisions for converting such credits into deferred Stock equivalents and for restricting deferrals to comply with hardship distribution rules affecting tax-qualified retirement plans subject to Code Section 401(k)(2)(B)(IV), provided that no Dividend Equivalent Rights may be granted in connection with, or related to, an Award of Options or SARs. Any such deferrals shall be made in a manner that complies with Code Section 409A.

 

3.6.	No Liability.

 

No member of the Board or the Committee shall be liable for any action or determination made in good faith with respect to the Plan or any Award or Award Agreement.

 

3.7.	Stock Issuance; Book-Entry.

 

Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the ownership of the shares of Stock issued under the Plan may be evidenced in such a manner as the Committee, in its discretion, deems appropriate, including by book-entry registration or by the issuance of one or more stock certificates.

 

4.	STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN

 

4.1.	Number of Shares of Stock Available for Awards.

 

(a)           Subject to such additional Shares as shall be available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4.2, and subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 17, the maximum number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall be equal to two million seven hundred fifty thousand (2,750,000) shares, plus the number of shares of Stock available for awards under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date and the number of shares of Stock subject to awards outstanding under the Prior Plan as of the Effective Date which thereafter (i) terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation, or otherwise without the issuance of such shares, (ii) are settled in cash in lieu of such shares or (iii) are exchanged for the Committee’s permission, before the issuance of such shares, for compensatory awards not involving shares.

 

(b)           Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 17, the aggregate number of shares of Stock available for issuance pursuant to Incentive Stock Options shall be two million seven hundred fifty thousand (2,750,000).

 

(c)           Shares of Stock to be issued under the Plan shall be authorized but unissued shares, or, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, shares of treasury stock and issued shares that have been reacquired by the Company.

 

4.2.	Adjustments in Authorized Shares of Stock.

 

In connection with mergers, reorganizations, separations, or other transactions involving the Company or a Subsidiary to which Code Section 424(a) applies, the Committee shall have the right to cause the Company to assume awards previously granted under a compensatory plan by another business entity acquired by the Company or such Subsidiary to substitute Awards under the Plan therefor. The number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4.1(a) shall be increased by the number of shares of Stock subject to any such assumed awards and substitute Awards. Shares available for issuance under a shareholder-approved plan of a business entity acquired by the Company or a Subsidiary (as appropriately adjusted to reflect the transaction pursuant to which such business entity is acquired) may be used for Awards under the Plan and shall not reduce the number of shares of Stock otherwise available for issuance under the Plan, subject to applicable rules of any stock exchange on which the Stock is listed.

 

4.3.	Share Usage.

 

(a)           Shares of Stock subject to an Award shall be counted as used as of the Grant Date.

 

(b)           Any shares of Stock that are subject to Awards of Options shall be counted against the share issuance limit set forth in Section 4.1(a) as one (1) share of Stock for every one (1) share of Stock subject to an Award. Any shares of Stock that are subject to Awards other than Options or Stock Appreciation Rights shall be counted against the limit set forth in Section 4.1(a) as 2.15 shares for every one (1) share granted. With respect to SARs, the number of shares of Stock subject to an award of SARs shall be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan regardless of the number of shares of Stock actually issued to settle such SARs upon exercise.

 

(c)           Any shares of Stock related to Awards under the Plan or awards outstanding under Prior Plan as of the Effective Date which thereafter terminate by expiration, forfeiture, cancellation, or otherwise without the issuance of such shares shall be available again for grant under the Plan, provided that any shares subject to an Award granted under the Prior Plan shall be available for making Awards under the Plan in the same amount as such shares were counted against the share limits set forth in the Prior Plan.

 

(d)           The number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan shall not be increased by the number of shares of Stock (i) tendered or withheld or subject to an Award surrendered in connection with the purchase of shares of Stock upon exercise of an Option as provided in Section 12.2, (ii) deducted or delivered from payment of an Award in connection with the Company’s tax withholding obligations as provided in Section 18.3 or (iii) purchased by the Company with proceeds from Option exercises.

 

5.	EFFECTIVE DATE, DURATION AND AMENDMENTS

 

5.1.	Effective Date.

 

The Plan shall be effective as of the Effective Date. Following the Effective Date, no awards shall be made under the Prior Plan.

 

5.2.

Term.

 

The Plan shall terminate automatically seven (7) years after the Effective Date and may be terminated on any earlier date as provided in Section 5.3.

 

5.3.	Amendment and Termination.

 

The Board may, at any time and from time to time, amend, suspend or terminate the Plan as to any shares of Stock as to which Awards have not been made. The effectiveness of any amendment to the Plan shall be contingent on approval of such amendment by the Company’s shareholders to the extent provided by the Board or required by Applicable Laws (including the rules of any stock exchange on which the Stock is then listed), provided that no amendment shall be made to the no-repricing provisions of Section 3.4 or the Option pricing provisions of Section 8.1 without the approval of the Company’s shareholders. No amendment, suspension or termination of the Plan shall impair rights or obligations under any Award theretofore awarded under the Plan without the consent of the Grantee thereof.

 

6.	AWARD ELIGIBILITY AND LIMITATIONS

 

6.1.	Service Providers and Other Persons.

 

Subject to this Section 6, Awards may be made under the Plan to any Service Provider, as the Committee shall determine and designate from time to time.

 

6.2.	Limitation on Shares of Stock Subject to Awards and Cash Awards.

 

During any time when the Company has a class of equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act:

 

(a)

the maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Options or SARs that may be granted under the Plan to any person eligible for an Award under Section 6 is three hundred fifty thousand (350,000) shares per 12 month period; provided, however, the maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Options or SARs that can be granted under the Plan to any person eligible for an Award under Section 6 in the year that the person is first employed by the Company is five hundred thousand (500,000);

 

(b)

the maximum number of shares of Stock that may be granted under the Plan, other than pursuant to Options or SARs, to any person eligible for an Award under Section 6 is one hundred seventy five thousand (175,000) shares per 12 month period; provided, however, the maximum number of shares of Stock subject to Awards other than Options or SARs that can be granted under the Plan to any person eligible for an Award under Section 6 in the year that the person is first employed by the Company is two hundred fifty thousand (250,000); and

 

(c)

the maximum amount that may be paid as an Annual Incentive Award per 12 month period to any person eligible for an Award shall be $3 million and the maximum amount that may be paid as a cash-settled Performance Award in respect of a performance period by any person eligible for an Award shall be $9 million.

 

The preceding limitations in this Section 6.2 are subject to adjustment as provided in Section 17.

 

6.3.	Stand-Alone, Additional, Tandem and Substitute Awards.

 

Subject to Section 3.4, Awards granted under the Plan may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with, or in substitution or exchange for, (a) any other Award, (b) any award granted under another plan of the Company, any Affiliate, or any business entity to be acquired by the Company or any Affiliate, or (c) any other right of a Grantee to receive payment from the Company or any Affiliate. Such additional, tandem and substitute or exchange Awards may be granted at any time. Subject to Section 3.4, if an Award is granted in substitution or exchange for another Award, or for an award granted under another plan of the Company, any Affiliate, or any business entity acquired by the Company or any Affiliate, the Committee shall require the surrender of such other Award or award under such other plan in consideration for the grant of such substitute or exchange Award. In addition, Awards may be granted in lieu of cash compensation, including in lieu of cash payments under other plans of the Company or any Affiliate. Notwithstanding Section 8.1 and Section 9.1, but subject to Section 3.4, the Option Price of an Option or the grant price of an SAR that is a Substitute Award may be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the original Grant Date; provided that, the Option Price or grant price is determined in accordance with the principles of Code Section 424 for any Incentive Stock Option and consistent with Code Section 409A for any other Option or SAR.

 

7.	AWARD AGREEMENT

 

Each Award granted pursuant to the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be in such form or forms as the Committee shall from time to time determine. Award Agreements employed under the Plan from time to time or at the same time need not contain similar provisions but shall be consistent with the terms of the Plan. Each Award Agreement evidencing an Award of Options shall specify whether such Options are intended to be Non-qualified Stock Options or Incentive Stock Options, and in the absence of such specification, such Options shall be deemed to constitute Non-qualified Stock Options.

 

8.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTIONS

 

8.1.	Option Price.

 

The Option Price of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement evidencing such Option. Except in the case of Substitute Awards, the Option Price of each Option shall be at least the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the Grant Date; provided, that in the event that a Grantee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, the Option Price of an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the Grant Date. In no case shall the Option Price of any Option be less than the par value of a share of Stock.

 

8.2.

Vesting.

 

Subject to Sections 8.3 and 17.3, each Option granted under the Plan shall become exercisable at such times and under such conditions as shall be determined by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement. For purposes of this Section 8.2, fractional numbers of shares of Stock subject to an Option shall be rounded down to the next nearest whole number.

 

8.3.

Term.

 

Each Option granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights to purchase shares of Stock thereunder shall cease, upon the expiration of ten (10) years from the Grant Date of such Option, or under such circumstances and on such date prior thereto as is set forth in the Plan or as may be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement relating to such Option; provided, that in the event that the Grantee is a Ten Percent Shareholder, an Option granted to such Grantee that is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option shall not be exercisable after the expiration of five (5) years from its Grant Date. If on the day preceding the date on which a Grantee’s Options would otherwise terminate, the Fair Market Value of shares of stock underlying a Grantee’s Options is greater than the Option Price of such Options, the Company shall, prior to the termination of such Options and without any action being taken on the part of the Grantee, consider such Options to have been exercised by the Grantee. The Company shall deduct from the shares of Stock deliverable to the Grantee upon such exercise the number of shares of Stock necessary to satisfy payment of the Option Price and all withholding obligations.

 

8.4.	Termination of Service.

 

Each Award Agreement with respect to the grant of an Option shall set forth the extent to which the Grantee thereof, if at all, shall have the right to exercise such Option following termination of such Grantee’s Service. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, need not be uniform among all Options issued pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for termination of Service.

 

8.5.	Limitations on Exercise of Option.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, in no event may any Option be exercised, in whole or in part, prior to the date on which the Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company as provided herein or after the occurrence of an event referred to in Section 17 which results in the termination of such Option.

 

8.6.	Method of Exercise.

 

Subject to the terms of Section 12 and Section 18.3, an Option that is exercisable may be exercised by the Grantee’s delivery to the Company or its designee or agent of notice of exercise on any business day, at the Company’s principal office or the office of such designee or agent, on the form specified by the Company and in accordance with any additional procedures specified by the Committee. Such notice shall specify the number of shares of Stock with respect to which such Option is being exercised and shall be accompanied by payment in full of the Option Price of the shares of Stock for which such Option is being exercised plus the amount (if any) of federal and/or other taxes which the Company may, in its judgment, be required to withhold with respect to the exercise of such Option.

 

8.7.	Rights of Holders of Options.

 

Unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, a Grantee or other person holding or exercising an Option shall have none of the rights of a shareholder of the Company (for example, the right to receive cash or dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock subject to such Option, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock subject to such Option, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders) until the shares of Stock subject thereto are fully paid and issued to such Grantee or other person. Except as provided in Section 17, no adjustment shall be made for dividends, distributions or other rights with respect to any shares of Stock subject to an Option for which the record date is prior to the date of issuance of such shares of Stock.

 

8.8.	Delivery of Stock.

 

Promptly after the exercise of an Option by a Grantee and the payment in full of the Option Price with respect thereto, such Grantee shall be entitled to receive such evidence of such Grantee’s ownership of the shares of Stock subject to such Option as shall be consistent with Section 3.7.

 

8.9.	Transferability of Options.

 

Except as provided in Section 8.10 or in this Section 8.9, during the lifetime of a Grantee of an Option, only such Grantee (or, in the event of such Grantee’s legal incapacity or incompetency, such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative) may exercise such Option. Except as provided in Section 8.10 and transfers pursuant to domestic relations orders, no Option shall be assignable or transferable by the Grantee to whom it is granted, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

8.10.

Family Transfers.

 

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement and by the Committee, in its sole discretion, a Grantee may transfer, not for value, all or part of an Option which is not an Incentive Stock Option to any Family Member. For the purpose of this Section 8.10, a transfer “not for value” is a transfer which is (a) a gift, (b) a transfer under a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights, or (c) unless Applicable Laws do not permit such transfer, a transfer to an entity in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests are owned by Family Members (and/or the Grantee) in exchange for an interest in such entity. Following a transfer under this Section 8.10, any such Option shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to such transfer, and the shares of Stock acquired pursuant to such Option shall be subject to the same restrictions with respect to transfers of shares as would have applied to the Grantee thereof. Subsequent transfers of transferred Options shall be prohibited except to Family Members of the original Grantee in accordance with this Section 8.10 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution. The provisions of Section 8.4 relating to termination of Service shall continue to be applied with respect to the original Grantee of the Option, following which such Option shall be exercisable by the transferee only to the extent, and for the periods specified, in Section 8.4.

 

8.11.

Limitations on Incentive Stock Options.

 

An Option shall constitute an Incentive Stock Option only (a) if the Grantee of such Option is an employee of the Company or any corporate Subsidiary, (b) to the extent specifically provided in the related Award Agreement and (c) to the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time such Option is granted) of the shares of Stock with respect to which all Incentive Stock Options held by such Grantee become exercisable for the first time during any calendar year (under the Plan and all other plans of the Company and its Affiliates) does not exceed $100,000. Except to the extent provided in the regulations under Code Section 422, this limitation shall be applied by taking Options into account in the order in which they were granted.

 

8.12.

Notice of Disqualifying Disposition.

 

If any Grantee shall make any disposition of shares of Stock issued pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option under the circumstances provided in Code Section 421(b) (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such Grantee shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten (10) days thereof.

 

9.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF STOCK APPRECIATION RIGHTS

 

9.1.	Right to Payment and Grant Price.

 

A SAR shall confer on the Grantee to whom it is granted a right to receive, upon exercise thereof, the excess of (x) the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the date of exercise over (y) the SAR Exercise Price as determined by the Committee. The Award Agreement for a SAR shall specify the SAR Exercise Price, which shall be no less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the Grant Date of such SAR. SARs may be granted in tandem with all or part of an Option granted under the Plan or at any subsequent time during the term of such Option, in combination with all or part of any other Award or without regard to any Option or other Award; provided that a SAR that is granted subsequent to the Grant Date of a related Option must have a SAR Exercise Price that is no less than the Fair Market Value of one share of Stock on the Grant Date of such SAR.

 

9.2.	Other Terms.

 

The Committee shall determine, on the Grant Date or thereafter, the time or times at which and the circumstances under which a SAR may be exercised in whole or in part (including based on achievement of performance goals and/or future Service requirements), the time or times at which SARs shall cease to be or become exercisable following termination of Service or upon other conditions, the method of exercise, method of settlement, form of consideration payable in settlement, method by or forms in which shares of Stock shall be delivered or deemed to be delivered to Grantees, whether or not a SAR shall be granted in tandem or in combination with any other Award, and any and all other terms and conditions of any SAR.

 

9.3.

Term.

 

Each SAR granted under the Plan shall terminate, and all rights thereunder shall cease, upon the expiration of ten (10) years from the Grant Date of such SAR, or under such circumstances and on such date prior thereto as is set forth in the Plan or as may be fixed by the Committee and stated in the Award Agreement relating to such SAR. If on the day preceding the date on which a Grantee’s SAR would otherwise terminate, the Fair Market Value of shares of stock underlying a Grantee’s SAR is greater than the SAR Exercise Price, the Company shall, prior to the termination of such SAR and without any action being taken on the part of the Grantee, consider such SAR to have been exercised by the Grantee.

 

9.4.	Transferability of SARS.

 

Except as provided in Section 9.5 or this Section 9.4, during the lifetime of a Grantee of a SAR, only the Grantee (or, in the event of such Grantee’s legal incapacity or incompetency, such Grantee’s guardian or legal representative) may exercise such SAR. Except as provided in Section 9.5 and transfers pursuant to domestic relations orders, no SAR shall be assignable or transferable by the Grantee to whom it is granted, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

9.5.	Family Transfers.

 

If authorized in the applicable Award Agreement and by the Committee, in its sole discretion, a Grantee may transfer, not for value, all or part of a SAR to any Family Member. For the purpose of this Section 9.5, a transfer “not for value” is a transfer which is (a) a gift, (b) a transfer under a domestic relations order in settlement of marital property rights or (c) unless Applicable Laws do not permit such transfers, a transfer to an entity in which more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting interests are owned by Family Members (and/or the Grantee) in exchange for an interest in such entity. Following a transfer under this Section 9.5, any such SAR shall continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to such transfer, and shares of Stock acquired pursuant to a SAR shall be subject to the same restrictions on transfers of shares as would have applied to the Grantee or such SAR. Subsequent transfers of transferred SARs shall be prohibited except to Family Members of the original Grantee in accordance with this Section 9.5 or by will or the laws of descent and distribution.

 

10.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF RESTRICTED STOCK AND STOCK UNITS

 

10.1.

Grant of Restricted Stock or Stock Units.

 

Awards of Restricted Stock or Stock Units may be made for consideration or for no consideration (other than par value of the shares of Stock, which shall be deemed paid by past or future Services by the Grantee to the Company or an Affiliate).

 

10.2.

Restrictions.

 

At the time a grant of Restricted Stock or Stock Units is made, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, (a) establish a period of time (a “restricted period”) applicable to such Restricted Stock or Stock Units and (b) prescribe restrictions in addition to or other than the expiration of the restricted period, including the satisfaction of corporate or individual performance goals, which may be applicable to all or any portion of such Restricted Stock or Stock Units as provided in Section 14. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Awards of Restricted Stock and Stock Units that vest solely by the passage of time shall not vest in full in less than three (3) years from the Grant Date (but may vest pro-rata during such period on a daily, monthly, annual or other basis), and Restricted Stock and Stock Units that vest upon achievement of performance goals shall not vest in full in less than one (1) year from the Grant Date; provided, that (i) up to ten percent (10%) of the maximum number of shares of Stock available for issuance under the Plan may be granted pursuant to the Plan without being subject to the foregoing restrictions, and (ii) any dividends or Dividend Equivalents issued in connection with any Award granted at any time under the Plan shall not be subject to or counted for either such restrictions or such ten percent (10%) share issuance limit. The foregoing ten percent (10%) share issuance limit shall be subject to the adjustment consistent with the adjustment provisions of Section 17.2 and the share usage rules of Section 4.3. No awards of Restricted Stock or Stock Units may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or otherwise encumbered or disposed of during the restricted period or prior to the satisfaction of any other restrictions prescribed by the Committee with respect to such Awards other than transfers pursuant to domestic relations orders.

 

10.3.

Restricted Stock Certificates; Book-Entry Registration.

 

Subject to Section 3.7 and the immediately following sentence, the Company may issue, in the name of each Grantee to whom Restricted Stock has been granted, stock certificates representing the total number of shares of Restricted Stock granted to the Grantee, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Grant Date of such Restricted Stock. The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that either (a) the Secretary of the Company shall hold such certificates for such Grantee’s benefit until such time as such shares of Restricted Stock are forfeited to the Company or the restrictions applicable thereto lapse and such Grantee shall deliver a stock power to the Company with respect to each certificate, or (b) such certificates shall be delivered to such Grantee, provided, that such certificates shall bear legends that comply with applicable securities laws and regulations and make appropriate reference to the restrictions imposed on such Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan and such Award Agreement. Pursuant to Section 3.7, to the extent Restricted Stock is represented by a book-entry, such book entry shall be notated to evidence the restrictions imposed on such Award of Restricted Stock under the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement.

 

10.4.

Rights of Holders of Restricted Stock.

 

Unless the Committee otherwise provides in an Award Agreement, holders of Restricted Stock shall have the right to vote such shares of Restricted Stock and the right to receive any dividends declared or paid with respect to such shares of Restricted Stock. The Committee may provide that any dividends paid on Restricted Stock must be reinvested in shares of Stock, which may or may not be subject to the same vesting conditions and restrictions as the vesting conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock. All stock distributions, if any, received by a Grantee with respect to Restricted Stock as a result of any stock split, stock dividend, combination of stock, or other similar transaction shall be subject to the vesting conditions and restrictions applicable to such Restricted Stock.

 

10.5.

Rights of Holders of Stock Units.

 

 

Holders of Stock Units shall have no rights as shareholders of the Company (for example, the right to receive cash or dividend payments or distributions attributable to the shares of Stock subject to such Stock Units, to direct the voting of the shares of Stock subject to such Stock Units, or to receive notice of any meeting of the Company’s shareholders). The Committee may provide in an Award Agreement evidencing a grant of Stock Units that the holder of such Stock Units shall be entitled to receive, upon the Company’s payment of a cash dividend on its outstanding shares of Stock, a cash payment for each Stock Unit which is equal to the per-share dividend paid on such shares of Stock. Such Award Agreement also may provide that such cash payment shall be deemed reinvested in additional Stock Units at a price per unit equal to the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date that such cash dividend is paid.

 

 

A holder of Stock Units shall have no rights other than those of a general unsecured creditor of the Company. Stock Units represent an unfunded and unsecured obligation of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

10.6.

Termination of Service.

 

Unless the Committee otherwise provides in an Award Agreement or in writing after such Award Agreement is entered into, but prior to termination of Grantee’s Service, upon the termination of such Grantee’s Service, any Restricted Stock or Stock Units held by such Grantee that have not vested, or with respect to which all applicable restrictions and conditions have not lapsed, shall immediately be deemed forfeited. Upon forfeiture of such Restricted Stock or Stock Units, the Grantee thereof shall have no further rights with respect thereto, including any right to vote such Restricted Stock or any right to receive dividends with respect to such Restricted Stock or Stock Units. If the Committee accelerates vesting of Restricted Stock or Stock Units, except (a) in the case of a Grantee’s death or disability, (b) acceleration required by binding commitments or agreements entered into by the Company prior to the Effective Date or (c) as specified in Section 17.2, the shares subject to such Restricted Stock or Stock Units shall be deducted from the ten percent (10%) share issuance limit set forth in Section 10.2.

 

10.7.

Purchase of Restricted Stock and Shares of Stock Subject to Stock Units.

 

The Grantee shall be required, to the extent required by Applicable Laws, to purchase the Restricted Stock or shares of Stock subject to vested Stock Units from the Company at a Purchase Price equal to the greater of (x) the aggregate par value of the shares of Stock represented by such Restricted Stock or Stock Units or (y) the Purchase Price, if any, specified in the Award Agreement relating to such Restricted Stock or Stock Units. The Purchase Price shall be payable in a form provided in Section 12 or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, in consideration for past or future Services rendered to the Company or an Affiliate.

 

10.8.

Delivery of Shares of Stock.

 

Upon the expiration or termination of any restricted period and the satisfaction of any other conditions prescribed by the Committee, the restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock or Stock Units settled in shares of Stock shall lapse, and, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, a book-entry registration or a stock certificate evidencing ownership of such shares of Stock shall, consistent with Section 3.7, be issued, free of all such restrictions, to the Grantee thereof or such Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be. Neither the Grantee, nor the Grantee’s beneficiary or estate, shall have any further rights with regard to a Stock Unit once the shares of Stock represented by the Stock Unit has been delivered in accordance with this Section 10.8.

 

11.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF UNRESTRICTED STOCK AWARDS AND OTHER EQUITY- BASED AWARDS

 

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant (or sell at the par value of a share of Stock or such other higher purchase price determined by the Committee) an Award to any Grantee pursuant to which such Grantee may receive shares of Stock free of any restrictions (“Unrestricted Stock”) under the Plan, subject to the ten percent (10%) share issuance limit set forth in Section 10.2. Unrestricted Stock Awards may be granted or sold to any Grantee as provided in the immediately preceding sentence in respect of past or future Service and other valid consideration, or in lieu of, or in addition to, any cash compensation due to such Grantee.

 

The Committee may, in its sole discretion, grant Awards in the form of Other Equity-Based Awards, as deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Awards granted pursuant to this Section 10.2 may be granted with vesting, value and/or payment contingent upon the achievement of one or more performance goals. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of Other Equity-Based Awards at the Grant Date or thereafter. Unless the Committee otherwise provides in an Award Agreement or in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, upon the termination of a Grantee’s Service, any Other Equity-Based Awards held by such Grantee that have not vested, or with respect to which all applicable restrictions and conditions have not lapsed, shall immediately be deemed forfeited. Upon forfeiture of any Other Equity-Based Award, the Grantee thereof shall have no further rights with respect to such Other Equity-Based Award.

 

12.	FORM OF PAYMENT FOR OPTIONS AND RESTRICTED STOCK

 

12.1.

General Rule.

 

Payment of the Option Price for the shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the Purchase Price for Restricted Stock shall be made in cash or in cash equivalents acceptable to the Company.

 

12.2.

Surrender of Shares of Stock.

 

To the extent that the applicable Award Agreement so provides, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option or the Purchase Price for Restricted Stock may be made all or in part through the tender or attestation to the Company of shares of Stock, which shall be valued, for purposes of determining the extent to which such Option Price or Purchase Price has been paid thereby, at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise or surrender.

 

12.3.

Cashless Exercise.

 

With respect to an Option only (and not with respect to Restricted Stock), to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and to the extent the Award Agreement so provides, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to the exercise of an Option may be made all or in part by delivery (on a form acceptable to the Committee) of an irrevocable direction to a licensed securities broker acceptable to the Company to sell shares of Stock and to deliver all or part of the proceeds of such sale to the Company in payment of such Option Price and any withholding taxes described in Section 18.3, or, with the consent of the Company, by issuing the number of shares of Stock equal in value to the difference between such Option Price and the Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock subject to the portion of such Option being exercised.

 

12.4.

Other Forms of Payment.

 

To the extent the Award Agreement so provides and/or unless otherwise specified in an Award Agreement, payment of the Option Price for shares of Stock purchased pursuant to exercise of an Option or the Purchase Price for Restricted Stock may be made in any other form that is consistent with Applicable Laws, including (a) Service to the Company or an Affiliate and (b) net exercise.

 

13.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHTS

 

13.1.

Dividend Equivalent Rights.

 

A Dividend Equivalent Right is an Award entitling the recipient thereof to receive credits based on cash distributions that would have been paid on the shares of Stock specified in the Dividend Equivalent Right (or other Award to which such Dividend Equivalent Right relates) if such shares of Stock had been issued to and held by the recipient of such Dividend Equivalent Right as of the record date. A Dividend Equivalent Right may be granted hereunder to any Grantee, provided that no Dividend Equivalent Rights may be granted in connection with, or related to, an Award of Options or SARs. The terms and conditions of Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be specified in the Award Agreement therefor. Dividend equivalents credited to the holder of a Dividend Equivalent Right may be paid currently (with or without being subject to forfeiture or a repayment obligation) or may be deemed to be reinvested in additional shares of Stock, which may thereafter accrue additional Dividend Equivalent Rights. Any such reinvestment in additional shares of Stock shall be at the Fair Market Value thereof on the date of such reinvestment. Dividend Equivalent Rights may be settled in cash or shares of Stock or a combination thereof, in a single installment or in multiple installments, all as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. A Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award may provide that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall be settled upon exercise, settlement, or payment of, or lapse of restrictions on, such other Award, and that such Dividend Equivalent Right shall expire or be forfeited or annulled under the same conditions as such other Award. A Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award also may contain terms and conditions which are different from the terms and conditions of such other Award; provided, that a cash amount credited pursuant to a Dividend Equivalent Right granted as a component of another Award which vests or is earned based upon the achievement of performance goals shall not vest or be paid unless such performance goals for such underlying Award are achieved.

 

13.2.

Termination of Service.

 

Unless the Committee otherwise provides in an Award Agreement or in writing after such Award Agreement is issued, a Grantee’s rights in all Dividend Equivalent Rights shall automatically terminate upon the Grantee’s termination of Service for any reason.

 

14.	TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PERFORMANCE AWARDS AND ANNUAL INCENTIVE AWARDS

 

14.1.

Grant of Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards.

 

Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Performance Awards and/or Annual Incentive Awards to a Plan participant in such amounts and upon such terms as the Committee shall determine.

 

14.2.

Value of Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards.

 

Each Performance Award and Annual Incentive Award shall have an initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. The Committee shall set performance goals in its discretion which, depending on the extent to which they are achieved, shall determine the value and/or number of Performance Awards that will be paid out to the Grantee thereof.

 

14.3.

Earning of Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards.

 

Subject to the terms of the Plan, after the applicable Performance Period has ended, the Grantee of Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards shall be entitled to receive payout on the value and number of the Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards earned by the Grantee over such Performance Period.

 

14.4.

Form and Timing of Payment of Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards.

 

Payment of earned Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards shall be as determined by the Committee and as evidenced in the applicable Award Agreement. Subject to the terms of the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may pay earned Performance Awards in the form of cash or in shares of Stock (or in a combination thereof) equal to the value of the earned Performance Awards at the close of the applicable Performance Period, or as soon as reasonably practicable after the Committee has determined that the performance goal or goals have been achieved; provided that, unless specifically provided in the Award Agreement for such Awards, such payment shall occur no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the calendar year in which such Performance Period ends. Any shares of Stock paid out under such Awards may be granted subject to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Awards shall be set forth in the Award Agreement for the Awards.

 

14.5.

Performance Conditions.

 

The right of a Grantee to exercise or receive a grant or settlement of any Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award, and the timing thereof, may be subject to such performance conditions as may be specified by the Committee. The Committee may use such business criteria and other measures of performance as it may deem appropriate in establishing any performance conditions. If and to the extent required under Code Section 162(m), any power or authority relating to an Award intended to qualify under Code Section 162(m) shall be exercised by the Committee and not by the Board.

 

14.6.

Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards Granted to Designated Covered Employees.

 

If and to the extent that the Committee determines that a Performance Award or an Annual Incentive Award to be granted to a Grantee who is designated by the Committee as likely to be a Covered Employee should constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m), the grant, exercise and/or settlement of such Award shall be contingent upon achievement of pre-established performance goals and other terms set forth in this Section 14.6.

 

 

 

Performance goals for any Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award shall be established not later than the earlier of (a) 90 days after the beginning of any Performance Period applicable to such Award and (b) the date on which twenty-five percent (25%) of any Performance Period applicable to such Award has expired, or at such other date as may be required or permitted for compensation payable to a Covered Employee to constitute Performance-Based Compensation.

 

14.6.3.

Settlement of Awards; Other Terms.

 

Settlement of Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards shall be in cash, shares of Stock, other Awards or other property, as determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. The Committee may, in its sole discretion, reduce the amount of a settlement otherwise to be made in connection with such Awards. The Committee shall specify the circumstances in which such Performance Awards or Annual Incentive Awards shall be paid or forfeited in the event of termination of Service by the Grantee prior to the end of a Performance Period or settlement of such Awards.

 

14.6.4.

Performance Measures.

 

The performance goals upon which the payment or vesting of a Performance Award or an Annual Incentive Award to a Covered Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be limited to the following Performance Measures, with or without adjustment:

 

(a)

net earnings or net income;

 

(b)

operating earnings or income, including consolidated corporate operating income excluding the impact of consolidation of the franchisee-owned BIBP Commodities, Inc. cheese purchasing entity (BIBP);

 

(c)

pretax earnings;

 

(d)

earnings per share;

 

(e)

share price, including growth and capitalization measures and total stockholder return;

 

(f)

earnings before interest and taxes;

 

(g)

earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization;

 

(h)

sales or revenue growth, whether in general or by store, category of store or product, including system-wide comparable sales (average same-store, year-over-year sales) or method of ordering;

 

(i)

gross or operating margins (including food, labor and mileage);

 

(j)

return measures, including return on assets, capital, investment, equity, sales or revenue;

 

(k)

cash flow, including operating cash flow, free cash flow, cash flow return on equity and cash flow return on investment;

 

(l)

productivity ratios;

 

(m)

expense targets;

 

(n)

market share;

 

(o)

financial ratios as provided in credit agreements or indentures of the Company and its subsidiaries;

 

(p)

debt rating targets;

 

(q)

working capital targets;

 

(r)

completion of acquisitions or divestitures of businesses, assets, companies or stores;

 

(s)

store unit counts or similar store metrics, including franchise and/or company-store openings and/or closings;

 

(t)

system-wide, corporate, franchisee or store comparable transactions;

 

(u)

profits from restaurant operations;

 

(v)

product quality and customer service metrics, including consumer, customer, or franchisee perception targets;

 

(w)

employee retention and recruiting metrics, including turnover; and

 

(x)

any combination of any of the foregoing business criteria.

 

Performance under any of the foregoing Performance Measure(s) (a) may be used to measure the performance of (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries and other Affiliates as a whole, (ii) the Company, any Subsidiary, and/or any other Affiliate or any combination thereof, or (iii) any one or more business units of the Company, any Subsidiary, and/or any other Affiliate, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate and (b) may be compared to the performance of one or more other companies, or one or more published or special indices designated or approved by the Committee for such comparison, as the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate. In addition, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may select Performance Measure (e) above for comparison to performance under one or more stock market indices, designated or approved by the Committee. The Committee also shall have the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award based on the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures specified in this Section 14.

 

 

The Committee may provide in any Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award that any evaluation of performance may include or exclude any of the following events that occur during a Performance Period: (a) asset write-downs; (b) litigation or claim judgments or settlements; (c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or provisions affecting reported results; (d) any reorganization and restructuring programs; (e) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 30 and/or in management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s annual report to shareholders for the applicable year; (f) acquisitions or divestitures; and (g) foreign exchange gains and losses. To the extent such inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, such inclusions or exclusions shall be prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for deductibility.

 

 

Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation may not be adjusted upward from the level of performance actually attained. The Committee shall have the sole discretion to adjust such Awards downward, either on a formula or discretionary basis, or on any combination thereof as the Committee determines.

 

In the event that Applicable Laws change to permit Committee discretion to alter the governing Performance Measures without obtaining shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval, provided that the exercise of such discretion shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m). In addition, in the event that the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards that shall not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and base vesting on Performance Measures other than those set forth in Section 14.6.4.

 

14.7.

Status of Awards Under Code Section 162(m).

 

It is the intent of the Company that Awards under Section 14.6 granted to persons who are designated by the Committee as likely to be Covered Employees within the meaning of Code Section 162(m) and the regulations promulgated thereunder shall, if so designated by the Committee, constitute “qualified performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Code Section 162(m). Accordingly, the terms of Section 14.6, including the definitions of Covered Employee and other terms used therein, shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with Code Section 162(m). The foregoing notwithstanding, because the Committee cannot determine with certainty whether a particular Grantee of Performance Award or Annual Incentive Award will be a Covered Employee with respect to a fiscal year that has not yet been completed, the term Covered Employee as used in the Plan shall mean only a person designated by the Committee, at the time of grant of such Award, as likely to be a Covered Employee with respect to such fiscal year. If any provision of the Plan or any agreement relating to any such Awards does not comply or is inconsistent with the requirements of Code Section 162(m), such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to the extent necessary to conform to such requirements.

 

15.	PARACHUTE LIMITATIONS

 

If any Grantee is a “disqualified individual,” as defined in Code Section 280G(c), then, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan or of any other agreement, contract, or understanding heretofore or hereafter entered into by such Grantee with the Company or an Affiliate, except an agreement, contract, or understanding that expressly addresses Code Section 280G or Code Section 4999 (an “Other Agreement”), and notwithstanding any formal or informal plan or other arrangement for the direct or indirect provision of compensation to the Grantee (including groups or classes of Grantees or beneficiaries of which the Grantee is a member), whether or not such compensation is deferred, is in cash, or is in the form of a benefit to or for the Grantee (a “Benefit Arrangement”), any right of the Grantee to any exercise, vesting, payment or benefit under the Plan shall be reduced or eliminated:

 

(a)

to the extent that such right to exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit, taking into account all other rights, payments, or benefits to or for the Grantee under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements, would cause any exercise, vesting, payment, or benefit to the Grantee under the Plan to be considered a “parachute payment” within the meaning of Code Section 280G(b)(2) as then in effect (a “Parachute Payment”); and

 

(b)

if, as a result of receiving such Parachute Payment, the aggregate after-tax amounts received by the Grantee from the Company under the Plan, all Other Agreements, and all Benefit Arrangements would be less than the maximum after-tax amount that could be received by the Grantee without causing any such payment or benefit to be considered a Parachute Payment.

 

The Company shall accomplish such reduction by first reducing or eliminating any cash payments (with the payments to be made furthest in the future being reduced first), then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Options or SARs, then by reducing or eliminating any accelerated vesting of Restricted Stock or Stock Units, then by reducing or eliminating any other remaining Parachute Payments.

 

16.	REQUIREMENTS OF LAW

 

16.1.

General.

 

The Company shall not be required to offer, sell or issue any shares of Stock under any Award, whether pursuant to the exercise of an Option or SAR or otherwise, if the offer, sale or issuance of such shares of Stock would constitute a violation by the Grantee, the Company or an Affiliate, or any other person of any provision of Applicable Laws, including any federal or state securities laws or regulations. If at any time the Company shall determine, in its discretion, that the listing, registration or qualification of any shares of Stock subject to an Award upon any securities exchange or under any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the offering, issuance, sale or purchase of shares of Stock in connection with any Award, no shares of Stock may be offered, issued or sold to the Grantee or any other person under such Award, whether pursuant to the exercise of an Option or SAR or otherwise, unless such listing, registration or qualification shall have been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company, and any delay caused thereby shall in no way affect the date of termination of such Award. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, upon the exercise of any Option or any SAR that may be settled in shares of Stock or the delivery of any shares of Stock underlying an Award, unless a registration statement under the Securities Act is in effect with respect to the shares of Stock subject to such Award, the Company shall not be required to offer, sell or issue such shares of Stock unless the Committee shall have received evidence satisfactory to it that the Grantee or any other person exercising such Option or SAR or accepting delivery of such shares may acquire such shares of Stock pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Any determination in this connection by the Committee shall be final, binding, and conclusive. The Company may register, but shall in no event be obligated to register, any shares of Stock or other securities issuable pursuant to the Plan pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company shall not be obligated to take any affirmative action in order to cause the exercise of an Option or a SAR or the issuance of shares of Stock or other securities issuable pursuant to the Plan or any Award to comply with any Applicable Laws. As to any jurisdiction that expressly imposes the requirement that an Option or SAR that may be settled in shares of Stock shall not be exercisable until the shares of Stock subject to such Option or SAR are registered under the securities laws thereof or are exempt from such registration, the exercise of such Option or SAR under circumstances in which the laws of such jurisdiction apply shall be deemed conditioned upon the effectiveness of such registration or the availability of such an exemption.

 

16.2.

Rule 16b-3.

 

During any time when the Company has a class of equity security registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act, it is the intention of the Company that Awards pursuant to the Plan and the exercise of Options and SARs granted hereunder that would otherwise be subject to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act shall qualify for the exemption provided by Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. To the extent that any provision of the Plan or action by the Committee does not comply with the requirements of such Rule 16b-3, such provision or action shall be deemed inoperative with respect to such Awards to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws and deemed advisable by the Committee, and shall not affect the validity of the Plan. In the event that such Rule 16b-3 is revised or replaced, the Board may exercise its discretion to modify the Plan in any respect necessary or advisable in its judgment to satisfy the requirements of, or to permit the Company to avail itself of the benefits of, the revised exemption or its replacement.

 

17.	EFFECT OF CHANGES IN CAPITALIZATION

 

17.1.

Changes in Stock.

 

If the number of outstanding shares of Stock is increased or decreased or the shares of Stock are changed into or exchanged for a different number of shares or kind of capital stock or other securities of the Company on account of any recapitalization, reclassification, stock split, reverse split, combination of stock, exchange of stock, stock dividend or other distribution payable in capital stock, or other increase or decrease in such Stock effected without receipt of consideration by the Company occurring after the Effective Date, the number and kinds of shares of stock for which grants of Options and other Awards may be made under the Plan, including the share limits set forth in Section 6.2, shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Committee. In addition, the number and kind of shares of stock for which Awards are outstanding shall be adjusted proportionately and accordingly by the Committee so that the proportionate interest of the Grantee therein immediately following such event shall, to the extent practicable, be the same as immediately before such event. Any such adjustment in outstanding Options or SARs shall not change the aggregate Option Price or SAR Exercise Price payable with respect to shares that are subject to the unexercised portion of such outstanding Options or SARs, as applicable, but shall include a corresponding proportionate adjustment in the per share Option Price or SAR Exercise Price, as the case may be. The conversion of any convertible securities of the Company shall not be treated as an increase in shares effected without receipt of consideration. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of any distribution to the Company’s shareholders of securities of any other entity or other assets (including an extraordinary dividend, but excluding a non-extraordinary dividend, declared and paid by the Company) without receipt of consideration by the Company, the Company shall, in such manner as the Company deems appropriate, adjust (a) the number and kind of shares of stock subject to outstanding Awards and/or (b) the aggregate and per share Option Price of outstanding Options and the aggregate and per share SAR Exercise Price of outstanding Stock Appreciation Rights as required to reflect such distribution.

 

17.2.

Reorganization in Which the Company Is the Surviving Entity Which Does not Constitute a Corporate Transaction.

 

Subject to Section 17.3, if the Company shall be the surviving entity in any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company with one or more other entities which does not constitute a Corporate Transaction, any Option or SAR theretofore granted pursuant to the Plan shall pertain to and apply to the securities to which a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to such Option or SAR would have been entitled immediately following such reorganization, merger, or consolidation, with a corresponding proportionate adjustment of the per share Option Price or SAR Exercise Price so that the aggregate Option Price or SAR Exercise Price thereafter shall be the same as the aggregate Option Price or SAR Exercise Price of the shares of Stock remaining subject to the Option or SAR as in effect immediately prior to such reorganization, merger, or consolidation. Subject to any contrary language in an Award Agreement evidencing an Award, any restrictions applicable to such Award shall apply as well to any replacement shares received by the Grantee as a result of such reorganization, merger or consolidation. In the event of any reorganization, merger, or consolidation of the Company referred to in this Section 17.2, Stock Units shall be adjusted so as to apply to the securities that a holder of the number of shares of Stock subject to the Stock Units would have been entitled to receive immediately following such reorganization, merger or consolidation.

 

17.3.

Corporate Transaction in which Awards are not Assumed.

 

Except as otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, upon the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction in which outstanding Options, SARs, Restricted Stock, Stock Units, Dividend Equivalent Rights, or Other Equity-Based Awards are not being assumed or continued:

 

(i)

all Grantees of shares of Restricted Stock, Stock Units, and Dividend Equivalent Rights shall be credited with an additional 12 months of Service from the Grant Date for purposes of vesting in such shares immediately prior to the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction and any shares of Stock subject to Stock Units that become vested pursuant to the operation of this Section 17.3(i) shall be delivered, immediately prior to the occurrence of such Corporate Transaction;

 

(ii)

all Grantees of Options and SARs shall be credited with an additional 12 months of Service from the Grant Date for purposes of vesting in such Options and SARs immediately prior to the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction; and

 

(iii)

either of the following two actions shall be taken:

 

(A)

fifteen (15) days prior to the scheduled consummation of such a Corporate Transaction, notice shall be given to all Grantees of vested Options and SARs outstanding hereunder (including Options and SARs that become vested pursuant to the operation of Section 17.3(ii)) that such Options and SARs shall remain exercisable for a period of fifteen days and shall thereafter be terminated, or

 

(B)

the Committee may elect, in its sole discretion, to cancel any outstanding Awards of Options, Restricted Stock, Stock Units, and/or SARs and pay or deliver, or cause to be paid or delivered, to the holder thereof an amount in cash or securities having a value (as determined by the Committee acting in good faith), in the case of Restricted Stock or Stock Units, equal to the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such Corporate Transaction and, in the case of Options or SARs, equal to the product of the number of shares of Stock subject such Options or SARs (the “Award Shares”) multiplied by the amount, if any, by which (I) the formula or fixed price per share paid to holders of shares of Stock pursuant to such transaction exceeds (II) the Option Price or SAR Exercise Price applicable to such Award Shares.

 

(iv)

For Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards denominated in Stock or Stock Units, if less than half of the Performance Period has lapsed, such Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards shall be converted into Restricted Stock or Stock Units assuming target performance has been achieved (or into Unrestricted Stock if no further restrictions apply). If more than half the Performance Period has lapsed, such Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards shall be converted into Restricted Stock or Stock Units based on actual performance to date (or into Unrestricted Stock if no further restrictions apply). If actual performance is not determinable, such Performance Awards and Annual Incentive Awards shall be converted into Restricted Stock or Stock Units assuming target performance has been achieved, based on the discretion of the Committee (or into Unrestricted Stock if no further restrictions apply).

 

 

(v)

Other-Equity Based Awards shall be governed by the terms of the applicable Award Agreement.

 

With respect to the Company’s establishment of an exercise window, (i) any exercise of an Option or SAR during the fifteen (15)-day period referred to above shall be conditioned upon the consummation of the applicable Corporate Transaction and shall be effective only immediately before the consummation thereof, and (ii) upon consummation of any Corporate Transaction, the Plan and all outstanding but unexercised Options and SARs shall terminate. The Committee shall send notice of an event that shall result in such a termination to all natural persons and entities who hold Options and SARs not later than the time at which the Company gives notice thereof to its shareholders.

 

17.4.

Corporate Transaction in which Awards are Assumed.

 

The Plan and the Options, SARs, Stock Units, Restricted Stock and Other Equity- Based Awards theretofore granted under the Plan shall continue in the manner and under the terms so provided in the event of any Corporate Transaction to the extent that provision is made in writing in connection with such Corporate Transaction for the assumption or continuation of such Options, SARs, Stock Units, Restricted Stock and Other Equity-Based Awards, or for the substitution for such Options, SARs, Stock Units, Restricted Stock and Other Equity-Based Awards of new common stock options, stock appreciation rights, common stock units, restricted stock and other equity-based awards relating to the stock of a successor entity, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number of shares (disregarding any consideration that is not common stock) and option and stock appreciation rights exercise prices. In the event a Grantee’s Award is assumed, continued or substituted upon the consummation of any Corporate Transaction and his employment is terminated without Cause within one year following the consummation of such Corporate Transaction, the Grantee shall be credited with an additional 12 months of Service from the date of such termination for purposes of vesting in the shares subject to such Award and the Grantee’s Award (to the extent vested) may be exercised, to the extent applicable, beginning on the date of such termination and for the one year period immediately following such termination or for such longer period as the Committee shall determine.

 

17.5.

Adjustments

 

Adjustments under this Section 17 related to shares of Stock or securities of the Company shall be made by the Committee, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive. No fractional shares or other securities shall be issued pursuant to any such adjustment, and any fractions resulting from any such adjustment shall be eliminated in each case by rounding downward to the nearest whole share. The Committee shall determine the effect of a Corporate Transaction upon Awards other than Options, SARs, Stock Units and Restricted Stock, and such effect shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement. The Committee may provide in the applicable Award Agreements at the time of grant, or any time thereafter with the consent of the Grantee, for different provisions to apply to an Award in place of those provided in Sections 17.1, 17.2, 17.3 and 17.4. This Section 17 shall not limit the Company’s ability to provide for alternative treatment of Awards outstanding under the Plan in the event of change in control events that are not Corporate Transactions.

 

17.6.

No Limitations on Company.

 

The making of Awards pursuant to the Plan shall not affect or limit in any way the right or power of the Company to make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve, or liquidate, or to sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets (including all or any part of the business or assets of any Subsidiary or other Affiliate).

 

18.	GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

18.1.

Disclaimer of Rights.

 

No provision in the Plan or in any Award or Award Agreement shall be construed to confer upon any individual the right to remain in the employ or Service of the Company or an Affiliate, or to interfere in any way with any contractual or other right or authority of the Company or an Affiliate either to increase or decrease the compensation or other payments to any natural person or entity at any time, or to terminate any employment or other relationship between any natural person or entity and the Company or an Affiliate. In addition, notwithstanding anything contained in the Plan to the contrary, unless otherwise stated in the applicable Award Agreement, no Award granted under the Plan shall be affected by any change of duties or position of the Grantee thereof, so long as such Grantee continues to provide Service. The obligation of the Company to pay any benefits pursuant to the Plan shall be interpreted as a contractual obligation to pay only those amounts provided herein, in the manner and under the conditions prescribed herein. The Plan and Awards shall in no way be interpreted to require the Company to transfer any amounts to a third party trustee or otherwise hold any amounts in trust or escrow for payment to any Grantee or beneficiary under the terms of the Plan.

 

18.2.

Nonexclusivity of the Plan.

 

Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the submission of the Plan to the shareholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations upon the right and authority of the Board to adopt such other incentive compensation arrangements (which arrangements may be applicable either generally to a class or classes of individuals or specifically to a particular individual or particular individuals) as the Board in its discretion determines desirable.

 

18.3.

Withholding Taxes.

 

The Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, shall have the right to deduct from payments of any kind otherwise due to a Grantee any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind required by law to be withheld with respect to the vesting of or other lapse of restrictions applicable to an Award or upon the issuance of any shares of Stock upon the exercise of an Option or pursuant to any other Award. At the time of such vesting, lapse, or exercise, the Grantee shall pay in cash to the Company or an Affiliate, as the case may be, any amount that the Company or such Affiliate may reasonably determine to be necessary to satisfy such withholding obligation; provided, however, that if there is a same day sale of shares of Stock subject to an Award, the Grantee shall pay such withholding obligation on the day on which the same-day sale is completed. Subject to the prior approval of the Company or an Affiliate, which may be withheld by the Company or such Affiliate, as the case may be, in its sole discretion, the Grantee may elect to satisfy such withholding obligation, in whole or in part, (a) by causing the Company or such Affiliate to withhold shares of Stock otherwise issuable to the Grantee or (b) by delivering to the Company or such Affiliate shares of Stock already owned by the Grantee. The shares of Stock so withheld or delivered shall have an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to such withholding obligation. The Fair Market Value of the shares of Stock used to satisfy such withholding obligation shall be determined by the Company or such Affiliate as of the date on which the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined. A Grantee who has made an election pursuant to this Section 18.3 may satisfy such Grantee’s withholding obligation only with shares of Stock that are not subject to any repurchase, forfeiture, unfulfilled vesting, or other similar requirements. The maximum number of shares of Stock that may be withheld from any Award to satisfy any federal, state or local tax withholding requirements upon the exercise, vesting, or lapse of restrictions applicable to such Award or payment of shares of Stock pursuant to such Award, as applicable, may not exceed such number of shares of Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum statutory amount required by the Company or the applicable Affiliate to be withheld and paid to any such federal, state or local taxing authority with respect to such exercise, vesting, lapse of restrictions or payment of shares of Stock. Notwithstanding Section 2.20 or this Section 18.3, for purposes of determining taxable income and the amount of the related tax withholding obligation pursuant to this Section 18.3, for any shares of Stock subject to an Award that are sold by or on behalf of a Grantee on the same date on which such shares may first be sold pursuant to the terms of the related Award Agreement, the Fair Market Value of such shares shall be the sale price of such shares on such date (or if sales of such shares are effectuated at more than one sale price, the weighted average sale price of such shares on such date), so long as such Grantee has provided the Company with advance written notice of such sale.

 

18.4.

Captions.

 

The use of captions in the Plan or any Award Agreement is for the convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning of any provision of the Plan or such Award Agreement.

 

18.5.

Other Provisions.

 

Each Award granted under the Plan may contain such other terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

 

18.6.

Number and Gender.

 

With respect to words used in the Plan, the singular form shall include the plural form and the masculine gender shall include the feminine gender, as the context requires.

 

18.7.

Severability.

 

If any provision of the Plan or any Award Agreement shall be determined to be illegal or unenforceable by any court of law in any jurisdiction, the remaining provisions hereof and thereof shall be severable and enforceable in accordance with their terms, and all provisions shall remain enforceable in any other jurisdiction.

 

18.8.

Governing Law

 

The validity and construction of the Plan and the instruments evidencing the Awards hereunder shall be governed by, and construed and interpreted in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, other than any conflicts or choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or interpretation of the Plan and the instruments evidencing the Awards granted hereunder to the substantive laws of any other jurisdiction.

 

18.9.

Section 409A of the Code.

 

The Company intends to comply with Code Section 409A, or an exemption to Code Section 409A, with regard to Awards hereunder that constitute nonqualified deferred compensation within the meaning of Code Section 409A. To the extent that the Company determines that a Grantee would be subject to the additional twenty percent (20%) tax imposed on certain nonqualified deferred compensation plans pursuant to Code Section 409A as a result of any provision of any Award granted under the Plan, such provision shall be deemed amended to the minimum extent necessary to avoid application of such additional tax. The nature of any such amendment shall be determined by the Committee.

 

* * *

 

To record adoption of the Plan by the Board as of February 17, 2011, and approval of the Plan by the shareholders on April 28, 2011, the Company has caused its authorized officer to execute the Plan.

 

	PAPA JOHN’S INTERNATIONAL, INC.
	By:	/s/ Clara M. Passafiume
	Title:	Secretary

 

 

 

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